Gastric emptying evaluation by ultrasound prior colonoscopy:An easy tool following bowel preparation

AIM: To investigate the gastric emptying after bowel preparation to allow general anaesthesia. METHODS: A prospective, non-comparative, and nonrandomized trial was performed and registered on Eudra CT database(2011-002953-80) and on www.trial.gov(NCT01398098). All patients had a validated indication for colonoscopy and a preparation using sodium phosphate(NaP) tablets. The day of the procedure, patients took 4 tablets with 250 mL of water every 15 min, three times. The gastric volume wasestimated every 15 min from computed antral surfaces and weight according to the formula of Perlas et al(Anesthesiology, 2009). Colonoscopy was performed within the 6 h following the last intake.RESULTS: Thirty patients were prospectively included in the study from November 2011 to May 2012. The maximum volume of the antrum was 212 mL, achieved 15 min after the last intake. 24%, 67% and 92% of subjects had an antral volume below 20 mL at 60, 120 and 150 min, respectively. 81% of patients had a Boston score equal to 2 or 3 in each colonic segment. No adverse events leading to treatment discontinuation were reported.CONCLUSION: Gastric volume evaluation appeared to be a simple and reliable method for the assessment of gastric emptying. Data allow considering the NaP tablets bowel preparation in the morning of the procedure and confirming that gastric emptying is achieved after two hours, allowing general anaesthesia.

Locoregional therapies and their effects on the tumoral microenvironment of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma(PDAC) is expected to become the second leading cause of death from cancer by 2030. Despite intensive research in the field of therapeutics, the 5-year overall survival is approximately 8%, with only 20% of patients eligible for surgery at the time of diagnosis. The tumoral microenvironment(TME) of the PDAC is one of the main causes for resistance to antitumoral treatments due to the presence of tumor vasculature, stroma, and a modified immune response. The TME of PDAC is characterized by high stiffness due to fibrosis, with hypo microvascular perfusion, along with an immunosuppressive environment that constitutes a barrier to effective antitumoral treatment. While systemic therapies often produce severe side effects that can alter patients’ quality of life, locoregional therapies have gained attention since their action is localized to the pancreas and can thus alleviate some of the barriers to effective antitumoral treatment due to their physical effects. Local hyperthermia using radiofrequency ablation and radiation therapy-most commonly using a local high single dose-are the two main modalities holding promise for clinical efficacy. Recently, irreversible electroporation and focused ultrasound-derived cavitation have gained increasing attention. To date, most of the data are limited to preclinical studies, but ongoing clinical trials may help better define the role of these locoregional therapies in the management of PDAC patients.

Current role of endoscopic ultrasound in the diagnosis and management of pancreatic cancer

Endoscopic ultrasound(EUS)has emerged as an invaluable tool for the diagnosis,staging and treatment of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma(PDAC).EUS is currently the most sensitive imaging tool for the detection of solid pancreatic tumors.Conventional EUS has evolved,and new imaging techniques,such as contrast-enhanced harmonics and elastography,have been developed to improve diagnostic accuracy during the evaluation of focal pancreatic lesions.More recently,evaluation with artificial intelligence has shown promising results to overcome operator-related flaws during EUS imaging evaluation.Currently,an appropriate diagnosis is based on a proper histological assessment,and EUSguided tissue acquisition is the standard procedure for pancreatic sampling.Newly developed cutting needles with core tissue procurement provide the possibility of molecular evaluation for personalized oncological treatment.Interventional EUS has modified the therapeutic approach,primarily for advanced pancreatic cancer.EUS-guided fiducial placement for local targeted radiotherapy treatment or EUS-guided radiofrequency ablation has been developed for local treatment,especially for patients with pancreatic cancer not suitable for surgical resection.Additionally,EUS-guided therapeutic procedures,such as celiac plexus neurolysis for pain control and EUS-guided biliary drainage for biliary obstruction,have dramatically improved in recent years toward a more effective and less invasive procedure to palliate complications related to PDAC.All the current benefits of EUS in the diagnosis and management of PDAC will be thoroughly discussed.

Toward an easier indigocarmine chromoendoscopy

Indigocarmine chromoendoscopy has been proven to improve the detection of colonic lesions during screening colonoscopy, and is associated with increased adenoma detection rates. Furthermore, it is commonly used to help in the delineation and characterization of colorectal neoplasms. However, it usually requires the use of a spraying catheter that decreases the suction capacity of the endoscope, and is time- consuming. Herein, we report on the feasibility of indigo carmine chromoendoscopy during colonoscopy without using a spraying catheter, with the dye being administered through the air/water channel of the endoscope. Since the suction channel remains free, the air can be exsufflated and the staining then applies uniformly onto the colonic walls with the excess indigocarmine dye being immediately eliminated. In our experience with various types of colonoscopes and cap-assisted colonoscopy, this procedure makes indigocarmine chromoendoscopy much easier and quicker to perform, and might save the use of a spray catheter.